Ever had your homeowners insurance re-evaluated?

This was submitted anonymously as a general warning/suggestion to anyone having home insurance re-evaluated. Isn't it sad that we live in a society in which we are afraid to let anyone know how many dogs we have?  There is no indication that the insurance adjuster would have done anything differently if all five of the Cockers had been home, but why do I get the distinct feeling that it might not have gone as well? How about if there had been five Pit Bulls or Am Staffs or German Shepherds? Even well-behaved ones
who didn't make a peep the whole time? When did the tide in this country turn against dog owners?

Homeowners Insurance - Avoiding a Bad Outcome

Several weeks ago we got a letter from our insurance company - USAA - that they were going to send out an adjuster to make sure our house was insured at the correct replacement value. We have been in this house almost 15 years and have never had such an event. Being as how we had just done some remodeling we felt it was probably a good idea to make sure we were insured at the correct amount. Anyway, they weren't asking us, they were telling us. The company agent called and we set up an appointment for a few weeks later.

Meanwhile I'm thinking about all the stuff I've read on web and heard from other dog owners about insurance being revoked or denied for too many animals or the wrong breeds and I decide when this adjuster comes we will be a one-dog household - not a five-dog household. I got rid of all the evidence, including putting 4 dogs in their crates, loading them up in the car and parking it down the street in a neighbor's driveway.

When the adjuster arrived our oldest was in a crate in the family room. We moved through the house with the adjuster noting various improvements and taking pictures. We got to the family room and she leaned down and took a picture of Camille in her crate. I asked her why she was taking the dog's picture and she said they are always expected to take a picture of the dog. Boy, was I glad I had paid attention to my intuition.

I thought my experience might be useful to other dog owners. So how did I erase the presence of 5 dogs? I made a list during the first week as I noticed things that said DOGS LIVE HERE! Then I went to work hiding and concealing those things. This is not as simple as just throwing stuff in an empty bedroom as the adjuster was going to look at the entire house. Granted we live in a suburb and do not have outside kennels and runs so it was possible to create a different picture. Here is what I did:

--Took down all pictures and ribbons of everybody but Camille.
--Put outside water bowls in the grill.
--Took apart the Jog-A-Dog and put a blanket over it and set boxes on it.
(Blended well with all the other boxes in the basement.)
--Hid all the extra beds, bowls, and leashes. Put away the treat bowls all
over the house.
--Stashed all the bedroom crates in an attic alcove and piled boxes in front
of that entrance. Covered crate marks in the carpet with throw rugs and a
hamper.
--Removed all gates and ex-pens to another inaccessible hiding place.
--Cleaned paw prints and nose smudges from glass doors and windows.
--Closed curtains on the downstairs windows where they all go to jump and woof at passersby. Over the years this activity has resulted in deep gouge marks to the window and sill. Moved some of the furniture around too.
--Cleaned multiple muddy paw prints off the white panel fencing in the side yard.
--Made sure all poop was picked up.
--And one that I almost missed - changed my screen saver that showed all the dogs out in the snow!

I don't know what the insurance company would have done about five cockers but I did not want to find out. Since I have never heard of anyone getting a discount for multiple animals I figured better safe than sorry.